[color=00a651]"Wait, that's-"[/color] Maki's protest over the comms was cut short by Trapp's voice confirming what she suspected. The man had managed to commandeer a MAS after all, and seemed to be piloting it with no difficulty. It was a question she could ask later, among other conversations to be had, as she grabbed the spare boosters and thanked Gerard. [color=00a651]"I almost made a wager with Odin about how long you guys would take to come pick us up. No presents?"[/color]

There wasn't much time to waste on "Are you alright?" and "Did they do anything?". Maki's quips would let the rest know nothing happened that was worth mentioning. Well, perhaps other than the patrolling squadron of MAS... mercenaries? They didn't seem to like trained Coalition pilots, that much was certain. [color=00a651]"They have another squadron patrolling nearby. Mercs, I think."[/color] She reported to the rest of the 7th. [color=00a651]"Do we engage or leave the fighting to another day?"[/color] It wasn't as if the Hellcat was in any condition to fight after the paces Maki had put it through, and she had just wasted a missile.

Her systems blared, however, warning her of a hostile weapon firing. She turned the Hellcat around in time to see the plasma beam heading straight for McKnight. Time seemed to slow as she opened her mouth to warn her squadmate but her mind knew it was too late. That was when she saw Trapp's new machine appear as quick as a bolt of a lightning and shouldering the Shrike out of the way, keeping it safe. The Japanese pilot watched as the beam harmlessly dissipated over the shield of the Coalition machine.

[color=00a651]"Holy fucking hell! What the fucking fuckity fuck was that?"[/color] She asked incredulously, unsure of what ungodly technology kept Trapp from being reduced to a puddle of slag. The Coalition had something like this up their sleeve? How had they not won the war yet? Hopefully whatever intel Alice had gained from the database would answer the question. Speaking of which...

Maki managed a glance at her wingman to ensure the AI wasn't going berserk again. After everything they had been through today, she wasn't sure if she would ever look at the android the same way again. Hell, she wasn't sure she could fly with the AI again. It had been an interesting idea at first, a machine that could think and learn for itself fighting beside her, but now the idea seemed dangerous. Alice's personality and interactions with her had made her forget the metal pilot was a weapon first and foremost. UEE property.

She listened as Trapp handed the reins over to McKnight, shelving the thoughts away. They could wait until they were back aboard the Lincoln and safely recovered.